WHAT
Private Music Lessons
in Idaho Falls and via Zoom to Other Locations
(Zoom lessons may require an additional fee per month)
Beginning–Advanced: French Horn, Trumpet, Piano
Beginning to Intermediate: Trombone
WHERE
At my home—contact me for more information.
HOW MUCH
$35/45-minute lesson (if the lesson goes long, the cost is the same).
Due: at the time of the lesson or prepaid at the beginning of the month.
I do NOT give lessons on credit.
Fees: I ask for a biannual $20 materials fee to help partially cover the cost of rewards (see below), recital costs, and printing/copying costs. The fee is due in September and January.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Let me know at least 72 hours before your lesson and I will not charge you for that lesson. I will give you the same courtesy if I cannot be there.
If you simply don’t show up or fail to give me at least 24 hours notice, you will be charged for the lesson (except in emergencies).
MATERIALS
You will be responsible for purchasing all music lesson books, notebooks, and playing equipment for your student. I can loan some materials while you are ordering yours, but I will need these back ASAP.
STUDENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIP
Parents are welcome to attend the first 1-2 lessons so that you and the student feel comfortable. After that, I ask that the student be allowed to come in alone to most lessons. This helps contribute to the student-teacher relationship, allowing me to focus entirely on the student. It also creates a “safe” space where the student can feel free to make mistakes without having someone looking over their shoulder.
I have happily accepted parents into lessons in the past, but I have learned that my students progress faster when we’re allowed to work together one-on-one. The kids open up more, communication improves, and progress accelerates.
PROGRESS REPORTS
I provide progress reports every six months. I’ll give you a print-out report on how the student is doing on various checkpoints including tone, rhythm, theory, articulation, etc. This includes a meeting between the student, parents (or other guardian), and me to review how far we’ve come and to set goals for the next six-month period.
EXPECTATIONS
For students to succeed and feel confident in themselves, they must learn how to practice on their own. This is one of the biggest benefits of music lessons—they help the student learn how to sit and focus on something challenging for at least 25 minutes. (This is particularly difficult for today’s students who have so many distractions!)
Don’t expect your child will automatically know how to practice—this is something they need to learn, and that parents and I work together to teach them.
I can easily tell if your student isn’t practicing, and that will make everyone feel like they’re waiting their time (and money). I will work with you on maintaining a practice record for them. Then I suggest the following tips:
| DO | DON’T |
| Sit down with your student and find 25 minutes on the calendar at least 5 days a week for music practice. | Simply expect the student to schedule regular practice time themselves. This is a skill that needs to be learned (with your help)! |
| Give the student a calendar or planner where they can keep track of this time. | Punish the student if he/she doesn’t practice. We want music to be a joyful experience. |
| Make sure the student has a private and welcoming place to practice their instrument without fear of “bothering” someone. | “Babysit” the student while they practice. As long as they’re in the practice room at the designated time making noise, we’re good! |
| Expect that they will practice during the scheduled times. | Make this a negative interaction between you. Keep it positive with gentle reminders and rewards. |
| Create rewards for regular practice (as you see fit). Use simple things like praise, permission to do something else after practicing that they’ll enjoy, points built up to a special purchase or experience, etc. | Expect that every week will be perfect. Likely the student will go back and forth between lots of practice and a little—this is okay as long as we have more practice weeks than not! |
| Be positive and encouraging (no matter what you hear!). Do not correct the student! Leave that up to me. | Criticize the student’s playing or efforts to practice. NEVER! |
STUDIO AWARDS
To help promote regular practice, I have a reward system in my studio. I give the students points in each lesson according to their accomplishments in that lesson. When they reach a certain total, I offer them a prize of their choice (at a set dollar amount) that I will purchase on Amazon. (This comes out of my own funds and your biannual fees payment.) I also have a chart displayed near the lesson room showing each student’s progress which helps foster a little friendly competition.
In addition, I give awards at recitals including pins, ribbons, and trophies.
MY COMMITMENT
If you talk to any of the students I’ve taught over the past 25 years, you’ll hear that I’m a very dedicated and caring teacher. I love my kids! The most important thing to me is not that they become amazing players (though a great many do), but that they have a positive, rewarding experience that helps them build their self-confidence and esteem. Private music lessons create many benefits—both mental and emotional—and you’re doing your child a great service by making this investment.
I have thanked my mother numerous times for all the trips she made to music lessons for me. Music is something we can enjoy all our lives, and you’re helping instill that love of music for your student. Nice job.
I look forward to working with you!
Questions? Contact me.